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September 09, 2005
Look Who's On The Attack
The New Hampshire Union Leader is a newspaper hardly known for its liberal views. In fact, it’s known in some circles as the most right wing daily paper of the 20th Century – at least until Rev. Moon invented The Washington Times. Older fogies might remember how they torpedoed Ed Muskie’s presidential campaign; media watchers on both the left and the right generally take the position that the Union Leader is so conservative it made Hearst (and, later, John Birch Society) columnist Westbrook Pegler look like he ghosted Eldridge Cleaver’s Soul On Ice.
Therefore, I found the fact that the Union Leader has been unrelenting in its criticism of George Bush and the officials involved in Gulf relief efforts. Their headline of September 6th was “Death By Government;” the editorial read like something you’d see in a Vietnam-era underground paper.
But this is when the Bushites must realize their political well-being is in deep trouble. This is the editorial in the September 8th New Hampshire Union Leader. I reprint it in its entirety so that you know I did not take anything out of context. It is, of course, copyrighted by The Union Leader corporation.
Turf battles and wrong way airplanes
GOVERNMENT turf battles and bungling continued in Louisiana this week.
New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin ordered the city evacuated, by force if necessary. Gov. Kathleen Blanco still resists this inevitable action, and her administration has said only the state can issue such an order. But the state won’t, so Nagin did.
Mayor Nagin’s responses to this crisis, while flawed, have shown better leadership than both Gov. Blanco’s and President Bush’s.
CNN reported yesterday that FEMA sent evacuees intended for Charleston, S.C., to Charleston, W.Va.
In the good news, the feds are giving each adult victim a $2,000 debit card, allowing them to spend aid money on what they need while avoiding red tape and paperwork. What a great idea.
Bush is asking for an additional $51.8 billion for the relief effort. Maybe Homeland Security can take a few of those dollars and buy FEMA some maps.
George, you blew it. As your keeper Mr. Chaney would say, “Big time.”
Posted by Mike Gold at September 9, 2005 03:37 PM
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Comments
Read between the lines. The underlying message is perfectly consistent with Bush's real philosophy: federal programs intended to help people are a waste of our tax dollars. These things should be handled at the local level and/or by private charities.
I've said this before. I really don't think BushCo cares what the public thinks. They're not running for reelection. When this is over, the public will be left with impotent rage (at an administration that already knows its days are numbered by constitutional limits) -- and the solid conviction that federal programs are a waste of our hard-earned money.
And, of course, BushCo's friends will reap astronomic profits from the rebuilding programs.
So: Bush's friends get rich, and the public is ready and eager to strip the federal government down to the bone. What could be a better legacy for Bush?
Posted by: Rick Oliver at September 9, 2005 04:39 PM
I was going to say exactly what Rick just did. Putting a conservative in charge of federal programs is like putting a Magnum .357 in the hands of an Amish farmer. The belief in the product and the needed skill set to use it just aren't there.
Plus, Bush gets the added benefit of destroying the Democratic political base in New Orleans.
Not that I'm a cynic, or anything.
Posted by: Mike Flynn at September 13, 2005 01:39 PM